SJRA Approves a Reduction in Wholesale Water Rates

CONROE, TX -- — The San Jacinto River Authority (SJRA) Board of Directors approved today a proposal to reduce both the groundwater and surface water wholesale rates for those customers that are participants in SJRA’s Groundwater Reduction Plan (GRP) beginning September 2024.

GRP customers’ groundwater rate will be reduced from $2.99 to $2.67 per 1,000 gallons of groundwater pumped by GRP Participants. The surface water rate will be reduced from $3.41 to $3.26 per 1,000 gallons of treated surface water delivered from Lake Conroe to participants.

“These rate decreases are made possible by a reduction in chemical, operational, and staffing costs,” said SJRA General Manager Aubrey Spear. “I appreciate our staff’s efforts to be cost effective and efficient in the GRP facility operations. The reductions will benefit all our wholesale customers throughout Montgomery County.”

The board’s action to lower water rates comes on the heels of a board decision in March to refund $12 million to SJRA wholesale water customers after two non-paying GRP customers paid money that was owed to SJRA and the GRP had an unanticipated increase in revenue due to recent droughts in the area.

During March, GRP participants received a credit to their accounts based on their prorated share of water used during the drought period. The remaining funds will be used to pay down bonds secured in 2012 and 2013 to construct the GRP surface water treatment plant at Lake Conroe and the related transmission lines and facilities necessary to supply some GRP participants with surface water.

The SJRA GRP has 80 customers under contract, of which seven receive surface water. The SJRA’s GRP participants are area retail water providers including cities, municipal utility districts, and independently owned utilities. The 80 customers are represented by a GRP Review Committee that meets monthly to determine expectations and make policy recommendations regarding the GRP. The recommendations are then presented to the SJRA Board of Directors for approval.

SJRA does not set the retail rates charged to individual retail customers. That is the responsibility of the retail water provider or municipality. For more information on household bills, individuals are urged to contact their retail provider.